Autumn

Gabriel's first sock .

More Zebra sketches- this reminds me of art deco drawings.

Some recent geometry, Gabriel's dodecagon, followed by my dodecagon.

 Gabriel's been busy working on geology these last couple of weeks, as his main lesson.  There's been quite a lot of writing work, and we've been focusing on his cursive.  Today we discussed the evolution of alchemy into chemistry, and elements.  We've been using 'Journey to the Centre of the Earth' by Jules Verne, as our story for this block. Since Gabriel has finished his first sock, we've had a couple of weeks off, so he can focus on his main project for this year- making a zebra- before he gets onto doing sock no 2.  Gabriel and I finished reading the Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets together, and so we've moved on to the Lord of the Rings- The Fellowship of the Ring.  Gabriel's goal is to improve his reading enough, that after reading the first book with me, he'll be able to do the others by himself.

Willow's geometry from the last week- making a variety of stars.

Willow is moving onto chemistry this block, and has also been busy progressing along  her doll.  She was hoping to finish the doll's hair last week, but unfortunately they'd run out of black wool.  I've also ordered a square loom, so that Willow can do some weaving; she was thinking of doing a blanket out of squares.  Last weekend Willow and Gabriel got to try out surfing at Trigg beach, as Willow won a voucher to try surfing.

Arden has been working on numbers and reading and writing them this block.  Previously I'd done more of a creative maths block for class 1, as in the waldorf style, but I really like the JUMP programme and how well it's worked for Willow and Gabriel, so I'm using it as the focus of our maths with plans to complement it with some of the creativity that accompanies waldorf.

We're coming to the end of term one, so I'm looking forward to a couple of weeks off.  Will have to spend a bit of time, getting baby stuff sorted, so that we're ready for June.  We've all still been learning rockabilly dancing, and have been getting a few lessons of kick step in before Gabriel has musicianship lessons back on.  We've all been loving the dancing, and I've been trying to get lots in before the baby is born, as it will be tricky to get to lessons then.

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We actually continued to do a lot of dancing once Irving was born, as it seemed he was accustomed to music, and so he just slept through it.  Later on we all learnt some blues and kick step rock and roll too.  Plus when towards the end of high school for Gabriel, Willow and Gabriel, did some swing lessons, and Willow also did some ballroom.  All this was part of our plan to complement her desire to be an opera singer/performer.

Some posts discussing our dancing experiences....

Highland dancing

https://unicorn-pegasus.blogspot.com/2008/11/whats-been-on.html

Lessons with Cool Cats

https://unicorn-pegasus.blogspot.com/2013/05/closer.html

Rockabilly

https://unicorn-pegasus.blogspot.com/2013/06/dancing-numbers-astronomy.html

Tap dancing and rockabilly with Arden.

https://unicorn-pegasus.blogspot.com/2018/04/summer-holidays-finally-here.html

Willow and Gabriel doing swing lessons

https://unicorn-pegasus.blogspot.com/2018/01/gradually-planning-2018.html

Swing dancing scence.

https://unicorn-pegasus.blogspot.com/2015/10/timetables-part-2.html

Arden trying cossack dancing at Womadelaide.

https://unicorn-pegasus.blogspot.com/2019/04/trip-to-adelaide.html

Part 2

Everyone is feeling great about having finished off their projects.

Here's the work.

Willow's horse looking stunning.


Gabriel's cushion.


We've also been working on a play of Brynhild and Sigurd to perform for the family, and finishing off our physics experiments with a week of electricity. There's been lots of other things happening this week, so we've kept it rather low key with school work. Granny is coming to visit this week, plus there's been Willow's singing concert, the pageant and Arden's birthday.

Finishing off geometry we looked at spirals.

The logarithmic or equiangular spiral.


And the Archemidean spiral (this is my version- need to take another picture of Willow's).


I made a soaked grain swiss roll for Arden's birthday. I wasn't sure it would work, but it was fabulous, and everyone loved it.

Willow's Horse

Here's a picture of Willow's horse.



It's almost finished - will be exciting to see it finished next week. It's just awaiting the final embellishments- eyes and ears.

Cushion Design and Horses

Gabriel's cushion design.


Willow's drawings.....

Craft Projects

Our main craft projects are currently underway, and we have all been very busy. Gabriel has started his first cross stitch project for the year- a pin cushion. He was bursting to go straight into a larger project (as Usual) but after this smaller one, we will look at designing a cushion cover for him to cross-stitch.

First stage of designing

Second stage designs- and the one outlined in red, is the cross-stitch pattern

Gabriel's project in progress

My design for a pin cushion.

Meanwhile Willow is into the early stages of her planning for making a stuffed toy. She's busy modelling wax horses, working on getting a good sense of shape for the horses she's making and developing her skills of observation. It's also interesting for her (and me) in that I'm largely leaving the project to her. I've discussed the goal (making a realistic 3d soft toy animal), and given guidance as required, but I'm leaving her to direct the project and what she does during her craft session.

Here is some of her work so far- all of these have been made in one afternoon.

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The modelling wax strengthens the fingers and requires a lot more strength than regular play-doh, and IMO it can be really nice to alternate them for different purposes, in the early years.  Originally we had play-doh and Willow would use modelling wax at Steiner kindy.  With home schooling I found somewhere I could buy a few modelling wax colours at a time and build our collection slowly.  

There is a bit of a trick to using it when the weather is cold- using hands and breath to warm it, warm water or a candle if it is very cold.  In warm weather/hot weather it is very malleable, and so there is a lovely natural relationship to it as a material as the weather changes, and the seasons shift.